


the little things

by fanfoolishness (LoonyLupin), LoonyLupin



Series: Starshine Over Beach City: Moments from Steven Universe [17]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon), steven universe future - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Gen, Steven Universe Future, Steven Universe Future Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:27:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21742942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoonyLupin/pseuds/fanfoolishness, https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoonyLupin/pseuds/LoonyLupin
Summary: Steven tries to keep busy with the little things in life.
Series: Starshine Over Beach City: Moments from Steven Universe [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1523993
Comments: 18
Kudos: 176





	the little things

**Author's Note:**

> Written after the airing of "Little Homeschool" through "Volleyball."

Steven does the little things, day by day.

He brushes his teeth, winter-mint blast. He showers, the water hot, hot, hot on his skin, and he wonders where it goes, if his perspiration carried in the spray grows something green and bright and living somewhere down the line. 

He shaves. Dark stubble speckles the bathroom sink. He never cuts himself by mistake anymore; his hand is sure.

He dresses and starts on breakfast, a familiar and practiced dance. The cast iron pan heats, its bottom glowing blue. He still loves donuts, as sweet as they are, but he often wakes up before the Big Donut opens. Sleeping is… more difficult than it used to be. 

He brews coffee with the pre-dawn dark pressing in on the windows. Eggs sizzle in the pan, bacon crisping into the shape of a smile.

He eats methodically, the smile first, then the egg-yolk eyes, the same every time. The coffee is bitter beneath the added cream and sugar. Someday he’ll learn to make it properly. It doesn’t matter: it does what it’s supposed to do.

He leaves the house. The sunrise is brilliant every day except the days it isn’t, except the days it rains, except the days it looms behind a bank of gray or white. He ignores it.

He goes for a walk on the beach. Gets sand between his toes. He goes back home. He waits for the town to wake beneath the rising sun, or clouds, or rain. 

He does the little things. 

Because if he doesn’t, there’s space for bigger things. Like Rose’s painting, hidden in Lion’s mane. Like the Gems that wear her face, or the crack that still mars Volley’s.

Bigger things: like the new powers thrumming beneath his skin, the threat of _pink_ in every heartbeat, a rage so vast he could –

Steven takes a breath. He doesn’t scream.

He swallows.

Steven heads out into the world, his smile fixed, his eyes bright. The little things are waiting.


End file.
